HollywoodontheBayou.com July 25, 2019 123rd ANNIVERSARY OF VITASCOPE HALL The first seated indoor theater in the United States was opened on July 26, 1896 at 623 Canal Street in New Orleans. See Page 3. What’s in this issue? Calendar of Events Celebrating Satchmo Vitascope Hall 123rd Anniversary Iberia Film Festival N.O. Film Society Summer Film Series Louisiana Film Milestones Easy Rider 50th Anniversary Louisiana Film Channel Baton Rouge Irish Film Festival Louisiana Future Film History UPCOMING EVENTS July 25, 2019 Girls Trip - N.O. Film Society Free Screening - Orpheum July 26-28, 2019 48 Hour Film – New Orleans July 26-27, 2019 Baton Rouge Irish Fest – Manship Theater August 1, 2019 Bayou Maharajah - New Orleans Film Society Free Screening - Orpheum August 1-3, 2019 New Iberia Film Festival August 2-4, 2019 Satchmo SummerFest - New Orleans Mint August 8, 2019 Down by Law - New Orleans Film Society Free Screening - Orpheum Bikers on the Bayou - Easy Riding on the Bayou Tour - Easy Rider 50th An- August 24, 2019 niversary - Franklin, LA September 7-13, 2019 North Louisiana Gay & Lesbian Film Fest – Robinson Center Shreveport September 26-29, 2019 NOLA Horror Film Fest September 28, 2019 Easy Rider 50th Anniversary Village of Morganza October 4-5, 2019 Lake Charles Film Festival October 16,-23, 2019 New Orleans Film Festival November 1-2, 2019 Pontchartrain Film Fest – Covington November 7-10, 2019 Southern Screen Film Fest – Lafayette January 22-29, 2020 Cinema on the Bayou Film Fest - Lafayette March 20-21, 2020 Cane River Film Festival – Natchitoches Hollywood on the Bayou’s Louisiana in Film is an online publication dedicated to documenting and recording the state’s film industry, chronicling Louisiana’s current status as a top feature and independent filmmaking location, and preserving the longstanding history of Louisiana in film. All images copyright The Poole Collection unless otherwise noted. We would appreciate receiving comments and article ideas for future issues. Please forward these to [email protected] or visit our website HERE. Hollywood on the Bayou Gretna, Louisiana (504) 298-5267 [email protected] Copyright 2019 - Ed and Susan Poole 2 VITASCOPE HALL: THE BIRTHPLACE OF THE AMERICAN MOVIE THEATER OPENED 123 YEARS AGO In New Orleans 1896, the city’s famed second floors of these buildings would Canal Street was the commercial and serve as commercial shops and social hub of the city. Like other major services, such as clothing stores, drug cities, the street was lined with 3-4 story stores, service companies, and buildings . The first and sometimes entertainment spots. The building located at the corner of Rock and Wainwright fitted their new Canal and Exchange Place had been the retail space with 400 benches and chairs home of a series of standard retail that they had acquired from a local outlets for decades. However, the bankrupt funeral parlor. A large white building would soon get a fresh new look cloth was tightly stretched across a and purpose which would land the facility frame that was mounted at the front of in the record books. the room. Sheets of black canvas were hung across all of the windows to block In July 1896, business partners William out the sunlight. Rock and Walter Wainwright were busy preparing for their new business, an Once the necessary equipment was enterprise that would be like no other installed, the partners planned their seen in New Orleans – or anywhere in opening. the United States at that time. 3 On Sunday, July 26, 1896, Messrs. Wainwright and Rock opened the doors of their new risky enterprise -- and ushered in a new era in American cinema. At that time, Raff & Gammon had acquired the rights to sell territorial use of Thomas Edison’s new moving picture camera called the Vitascope. Unlike the single-user viewing equipment that was in general use, this new camera projected images on a screen which could be seen by any number of viewers at one time. Edison had purchased the camera from its inventors Thomas Armat The above advertisement appeared in and Francis Jenkins. Originally called the Daily Picayune on July 26, 1896. the Phantoscope, Edison promptly renamed the camera “Edison’s Wonderful Vitascope” and marketed the “POP” ROCK BRINGS FIRST camera as his own. MOVIES TO LOUISIANA While working for them in New York, Raff William T. Rock (top right) was born in & Gammon asked Rock to take some of Birmingham, England and came to the their Vitascope territory, but the best they United States as a young man. In 1886, had to offer was Louisiana. Rock he formed the Ball Electric Illuminating purchased the Louisiana rights for the Company handling arc lamps. In 1896, use of the Vitascope for $2,500 ($1,500 he was contacted by Raff & Gammon to for the Vitascope and another $1000 for do some electrical work for them accessories and training). 4 With the Vitascope in hand, Rock to open an indoor location dedicated headed down to Louisiana in late spring solely to exhibiting films. The idea was of 1896. Along with him came Walter J. quite risky, since no one knew if the Wainwright, a carnival showman and movies, without other entertainment, former tightrope walker, and Walter A. would draw crowds. Rock and Reid, a projectionist from Koster and Wainwright would soon get their answer. Bial’s live performance music hall. On July 26, 1896, Vitascope Hall At that time, it was common for movie became the first indoor seated theater exhibitors to show their films at existing dedicated strictly to exhibiting films in amusement venues, such as parks, the United States. It was located at vaudeville theatres, etc. After looking 623 Canal Street in New Orleans, around New Orleans, Rock, Wainwright Louisiana. and Reed found the perfect location on To learn more about the early days of West End and Lake Pontchartrain. movies in Louisiana, see America's West End Park was a popular First Movie Theater: Louisiana's entertainment center with a big Vitascope Hall, available on bandstand which extended out over the Amazon.com and on our website water for band concerts, vaudeville acts HollywoodontheBayou.com. and prominent stage personalities to appear. This area could also accommodate dances and fireworks displays. The park offered one other benefit to Rock -- it was located at the end of a streetcar line which provided the electrical power necessary to operate the Vitascope. Although outdoor viewing was not ideal, audiences flocked to see the “moving pictures” and were AMAZED! Rock had entered into a contract with the West End Park for four weeks. After packing in the crowds, he renewed the contract and continued playing the West End Park for several seasons. Impressed with the positive response he had received, Rock, along with Walter Wainwright, made the decision 5 SUMMER FILM SERIES AT THE ORPHEUM Escape the Summer heat and enjoy free film screenings at the Orpheum Theater this Summer as a warm-up to the 30th annual New Orleans Film Festival (October 16-23, 2019)! To celebrate the 30th year of the New Orleans Film Society’s film programming, admission to the series is free and open to the public. New Orleans Film Society members get one free popcorn per screening. Click here to become a member today. Thursday, July 25th, 7 PM, doors at 6 PM GIRLS TRIP Director: Malcolm D. Lee, Comedy, 2017, 2h 2min. When four lifelong friends travel to New Orleans for the annual Essence Festival, sisterhoods are rekindled, wild sides are rediscovered, and there’s enough dancing, drinking, brawling, and romancing to make the Big Easy blush. Local comics Nkechi Chibueze, Ashleigh Branch, and Camille Roane will be on the stage to warm you up before the film begins. It’s going to be a night full of laughter! 6 Ashleigh Branch New Orleans native, Ashleigh Branch is a comedian that finds the funny in everyday life. As a wife and mother the material is easy to come by. Ashleigh started doing stand-up-comedy in 2016. Ashleigh believes comedy is a fun way to experience and work out the ups and downs of life. Though her first love is stand-up comedy; writing, sketch, and improv are also things she loves to do. She is also part of two all black, all female comedy groups; Black Girl Giggles and No Lye Comedy. Camille Roane is a New Orleans based comic who spends most of her time picking fights on Facebook and trying to learn to twerk. She likes to think that makes her a dancer, activist, and comedienne. She is a founding member of No Lye Comedy and was named one of Thrillist’s “Best Undiscovered Stand Up Comedians”. Some people pursue entertainment careers to get their mamas out of the hood. She’s working hard because she just wants to be interviewed by “Fresh Air’s” Terry Gross. Nkechi Chibueze is a happy-go-lucky stand-up comedian/photographer/teacher currently living in New Orleans Louisiana. Nkechi is a proud founding member of No Lye Comedy, a collective which provides access to comedy education and performance opportunities for Black Women in New Orleans through monthly stand up & sketch shows, writing & improv workshops, and podcasting. Thursday, August 1st, 7 PM, doors at 6 PM BAYOU MAHARAJAH Director: Lily Keber, Documentary, 2013, 1h 30min. Followed by a post-film discussion with director Lily Keber (recently included in Gambit’s 40 Under 40 list for 2019), moderated by pianist Jesse McBride. Bayou Maharajah is a poetic documentary with rare footage, photographs, and interviews of late New Orleans pianist James Booker, whose great talent masked personal struggles with substance abuse and isolation.